Deicke wins Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge, Petrunyak takes TwinSpires Tour

High-profile tournament action made headlines during Kentucky Derby (G1) week when Ed Deicke nabbed first prize in the Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge (KDBC) and Ryan Petrunyak emerged victorious in the TwinSpires Tour.

The 2026 KDBC featured a $352,500 prize pool and 235 entries. The competitive tournament paid out $317,500 in cash prizes, in addition to awarding valuable entries into the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC), 2027 National Horseplayers Championship (NHC), and 2027 KDBC.

Deicke won the KDBC in dramatic fashion. He wagered $3,054—all but 50 cents of his remaining bankroll--on Golden Tempo to win the Kentucky Derby. The wager paid off when Golden Tempo rallied to win by a neck at 23-1, giving Deicke the winning score of $73,662.98.

“Just like Golden Tempo, I was able to come from far back to win,” Deicke said. “I’ve loved the Kentucky Derby since I was a kid, and to win this tournament was the thrill of a lifetime.”

Matthew McJunkin finished second with $63,458.10. Christopher Larmey rounded out the top three with $43,528.50. The complete results can be viewed here.

Entering the KDBC required a $5,000 buy-in, with $3,500 funding the player’s bankroll and $1,500 going toward the prize pool. However, there were many opportunities for TwinSpires players to qualify for the KDBC by securing high finishes in KDBC qualifier tournaments, which come with lower entry fees.

In turn, entries into the KDBC qualifiers could be gained by performing well in feeder tournaments.

At least one entry into the 2027 KDBC will be awarded in the May 25 $1,000 Churchill Downs KDBC/BCBC Qualifier tournament on TwinSpires. The buy-in is $1,000, but at least one entry into the qualifier will be awarded in the May 14 $72 Churchill Downs Bet and Set Feeder to 5/25 Churchill Downs KDBC/BCBC Qualifier tournament on TwinSpires, with features a modest $72 buy-in.

By performing well in both the feeder and the qualifier, TwinSpires players could earn an entry into the 2027 KDBC with an investment of only $72.

Playing TwinSpires tournaments led to a lucrative payday for Petrunyak, who scored 2,491.18 points in the inaugural season-long TwinSpires Tour tournament series. By topping the leaderboard, Petrunyak earned an entry into the 2026 KDBC plus a $20,000 cash prize.

“I enjoyed the opportunity the tour created to compete with many people I have a lot of respect for as both horseplayers and people,” Petrunyak said. “Horse racing tournaments are a great way to play the game for those of us that love the competition. Thanks to TwinSpires for putting forth the Tour, and congratulations to all the other players who cashed and competed.”

Matt Miller (2,403.69 points) and Stephen Zehr (1,927.41 points) rounded out the top three, earning 2026 KDBC entries plus cash prizes worth $7,500 and $3,500.

The TwinSpires Tour kicked off in May 2025 and ran through April. The year-long challenge included four sessions with individual leaderboards; at the end of each session, the top three finishers received a total of $5,000 in cash prizes. Petrunyak topped the Session 2 and Session 3 leaderboards, earning $2,500 each time.

The second TwinSpires Tour kicks off on Memorial Day weekend. For more information on tournaments, including the KDBC and TwinSpires Tour, check out www.twinspires.com/tournaments.